Opening Day At New Compo Playground!
The new Compo Beach Playground was official opened on Memorial Day Weekend with a "ribbon" cutting with volunteers and local officials.
Photos by J.C. Martin, Story By Piper Salik for Westport Local Press
After the ribbon was cut, a photo-op was held with volunteers and the first kids (and adults) to enjoy this very special place for Westport children.
The official Town Of Westport Giant Scissors were required to cut the “ribbon” which was actually one of the banners used to promote and request donations for the Playground project.
An Innova rocker, a rope adventure course, a circus swing or a cradle bridge alone is enough to excite any child in town. The new and improved Compo Beach playground has all the features and more! Westport children are now able to explore these new additions to the playground after missing the structure for nearly two months.
Photos by J.C. Martin, Story By Piper Salik for Westport Local Press. Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
The newest version may look different from the playground many Westport citizens are used to. There is now an increase in playing area, including a small designated sandbox, with a squared-off fence line. There is also an installation of seven new features, as well as some of the old features. While building, volunteers ensured that the sight lines were increased to allow parents to better oversee their children while playing.
Westport mother, Diana Dalamagas, says, “playgrounds need clear visibility because parents can get distracted, and it can be stressful to lose sight of their young children.”
Photos by J.C. Martin, Story By Piper Salik for Westport Local Press. Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
According to the Westport Journal, many of these new structures were added to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. This includes easily accessible structures, an increase in space around the playground and an increase in visibility for parental figures. The previous playground did not meet these standards, as those who were disabled found themselves unable to access many parts of the older structure.
The original playground in Westport was built in 1988. And 18 years later was redone in 2006. The playground has been kept the same until this Spring when construction took place from March 1 to April 26.
Photos by J.C. Martin, Story By Piper Salik for Westport Local Press. Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Excited volunteers and visitors show some love to the photographers following the official ribbon cutting.
The newest version of the Compo Beach playground truly encapsulates the heart of the Westport citizens. Volunteers took time out of their days to rebuild and implement new and safer equipment for the children to play on. This includes the Innova rocker, rope venture climber, cirrus swing, orb rocker, brava swing, stem play activity panels, cradle bridge and accessible ice cream truck.
Photos by J.C. Martin, Story By Piper Salik for Westport Local Press. Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
The renovations took a tremendous amount of hard work as well as a lot of money. The project was anchored by $100,000 in gifts from both the Westport Rotary and Westport Police Foundation. The group continues to work hard to reach its goal of $650,000. With this, the playground will be modernized in hopes of lasting for generations.
Photos by J.C. Martin, Story By Piper Salik for Westport Local Press. Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
